


A Beginning of Trust

by GrumpyJenn



Category: Lost
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-10 00:41:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4370660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrumpyJenn/pseuds/GrumpyJenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Clearly I wrote this before seeing the episode where someone tried to poison Michael...</p></blockquote>





	A Beginning of Trust

It just killed him.

The damn thing had gone through her thigh, was still sticking out both the front and back, and she didn’t goddamn trust him enough to let him take a look.

Well, sonofabitch, that was his own fault, wasn’t it?

It _had_ to come out; it’d infect if it didn’t, and they were stuck out here, further from the beach or the caves than they’d ever been. She’d just have to trust him, that’s all.

He’d have to earn it, and fast.

“Freckles…” Damn, but his voice was hoarse. Must be the lump in his throat. He cleared it and tried again while she watched him warily. “Fre… Kate. Look, I know we ain’t always been… oh, sonofabitch.” It was so _frustrating_ that he couldn’t seem to find the words that’d help, not with this, because she was hurting, and that made even the usual reluctant flirting a non-starter.

Sawyer knelt in the muck and took both Kate’s hands in one of his larger ones. Her eyes flew to his, wide and scared in a way they almost never were, and somehow he found those damn words. “Kate… I don’t mind embarrassing you, and lord knows I like tickin’ you off; you’re cute when you’re mad. But you know I wouldn’t _hurt_ you. Not on purpose. You know it, right?”

She searched his face for a long time, and then she nodded once. “Just pull it out.” She sounded like she was clenching her teeth together, so he let go of her hands, grabbed a stick, and handed it to her. Managing a small smile, she gripped it between her teeth and took his hand again, then closed her eyes.

 _I’m sorry, darlin’,_ Sawyer thought, and then he broke off the arrowhead, and pulled the shaft out of her leg.

Kate let out a choked cry, and Sawyer flung the arrow away as hard as he could, then gathered her up because he just couldn’t stand it anymore. He’d make sure she wasn’t bleeding too much in a minute, but right now he just needed to hold on.

 _I’m sorry. So sorry, Kate, so…_ he didn’t realize he said it aloud until he felt her smile against the skin on his neck, and put a gentle hand on his arm.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, “I know you wouldn’t hurt me. Not really.”

And then he was able to pull away and treat the wounds.

**Author's Note:**

> Clearly I wrote this before seeing the episode where someone tried to poison Michael...


End file.
